I slept not at all that night, but sat [Footnote: It seems to have been
the custom among the soldiers never to lie down, but to take their sleep
sitting or standing; a habit not hard to form where the gravitation was
so slight. No doubt this also explains their stunted legs.] till the
dawn came, thinking out a plan of action. By that time I was fair
convinced that there was naught to be gained by waiting; waiting makes
me impatient as well. I determined to act at once; and since one day is
quite as good as the next, I decided that this day was to see the thing
begun.

I came before the emperor at noon and received my decorations. Within
the hour I had made myself known to the four and ninety men who were to
be my command; a picked company, all of a height and weight, with bodies
that lacked little of my own perfection. Never was there a finer guard
about the palace.

My first care was to pick a quarrel with the outgoing commander. Twere
easy enough; he was green with envy, anyhow. And so it came about that
we met about mid afternoon, with seconds, in a well-frequented field in
the outskirts.

Before supper was eaten my entire troop knew that their new captain had
tossed his ball-slinger away without using it, had taken twenty balls
from their former commander's weapon, and while thus wounded had charged
the man and despatched him with bare hands! Needless to say, this
exploit quite won their hearts; none but a blind man could have missed
the respect they showed me when, all bandaged and sore, I lined them up
next morning. Afterward I learned that they had all taken a pledge to
"follow Strokor through the gates of Hofe itself!"